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This creamy butter bean curry is a hearty, comforting vegan dinner made with tender butter beans, meaty mushrooms, sweet peas, warm spices, and rich coconut milk. It's easy to make with simple ingredients and turns into a flavorful plant-based meal that feels cozy and satisfying.
The butter beans are soft and creamy, while the mushrooms add a savory flavor and meaty texture that makes the curry feel extra hearty. These curry butter beans can be served with rice or naan for an easy dinner, and be sure to save the leftovers for meal prep since they reheat well.
For more curry recipes, try black bean curry, chickpea squash curry, vegan yellow curry with mixed vegetables, or creamy red lentil dahl.
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Recipe features
- Creamy butter beans, meaty mushrooms, and sweet peas make it hearty and satisfying
- Warm spices and coconut milk create a rich, flavorful sauce
- Easy to make with simple pantry staples and fresh vegetables
- Vegan, dairy-free, and naturally gluten-free
- Great for leftovers and freezer-friendly meal prep
Ingredient notes and substitutions
The curried butter beans use simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the full list and exact amounts.
Butter beans - For convenience, the recipe uses 2 cans of butter beans. If you cook dried beans, use about 3 cups of cooked butter beans. Butter beans and lima beans are the same, but mature beige butter beans work better here than green baby lima beans because they're softer and creamier. If you can't find butter beans, try chickpeas or white beans.
Garlic and ginger - Fresh garlic and ginger add the best flavor to the lima bean curry. If you don't cook with fresh ginger often, it can be frozen to last longer. Peel the ginger root, store it in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze. Then, when you're ready to use it, grate it with a microplane into the dish you're making. There's no need to thaw it.
Jalapeño - The jalapeño adds a mild to moderate heat. For a milder curry, remove the seeds and ribs or leave the jalapeño out altogether. For more heat, add extra jalapeños or use a Serrano pepper.
Mushrooms - White button mushrooms and baby bella mushrooms both work well. They add a savory, meaty texture that makes the curry feel heartier, but you can skip them if you prefer. For another oil-free vegan recipe with mushrooms, try vegan shepherd's pie with mushrooms.
Spices - A mix of curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and fresh black pepper will be used to make this plant-based curry.
Coconut milk - Light or full-fat coconut milk both work. Full-fat coconut milk makes the curry richer and can thicken the sauce more quickly, so you may not need to simmer it uncovered as long. For more curries with coconut milk, try potato curry.
Diced tomatoes - Don't drain the tomatoes. The liquid helps create the sauce and adds flavor. I didn't test with fresh chopped tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes, so I can't say for sure how well they'd work.
Tamari - Tamari adds savory depth. Most tamari is gluten-free, but check the label if needed. Low-sodium soy sauce also works if gluten-free is not a concern.
Peas - Peas add a little sweetness and color. You can swap them for spinach if you prefer. There's no need to thaw frozen peas before adding them to the curry.
Lemon juice - This adds a little acidity to finish the dish.
Tips
- The vegan butter bean curry recipe has oil-free instructions, but neutral-tasting oil can be used if you're not oil-free.
- Keep a little water nearby for oil-free cooking in case the onions, mushrooms, or spices start to stick.
- Prep the onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, mushrooms, spices, and canned ingredients before cooking so everything goes more smoothly.
- Don't drain the diced tomatoes. The liquid helps create the sauce.
- Mature beige butter beans work better than green baby lima beans for the creamiest texture.
- A large sauté pan works best because it helps the sauce reduce and thicken more easily than a deep stockpot. If you opt for a large stock pot, try cooking with the lid off for most of the cooking to reduce the liquid.
How to make butter bean curry with coconut milk
1. To ensure the recipe goes more smoothly, prep the onions, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and mushrooms, measure out the spices, and open the cans before you start cooking.
2. Start the curry by preheating a large non-stick sauté pan with a lid, and cook the diced onions with a pinch of salt over medium heat until translucent. For oil-free cooking, add a splash of water if the onions start to stick, or cook the onions in a neutral-tasting oil.
3. Then add the diced mushrooms and cook until they shrink and begin to brown.
4. Then add the jalapeño, garlic, and ginger, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and black pepper, coating the onions and mushrooms. Cook for about 1 minute.
Be sure not to burn the spices. Having a glass of water nearby is helpful for oil-free cooking: add a tablespoon at a time to prevent burning.
5. Then add the diced tomatoes (don't drain them, use the liquid too), coconut milk, butter beans, tamari, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a gentle simmer, and cook covered for 15 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking for another 5 minutes for the sauce to reduce. If you are using full-fat coconut milk, this step may not be necessary if it has already thickened.
7. Then add the peas and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes. Once the peas have warmed through, add the fresh lemon juice and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Serving suggestions
Serve the butter bean curry with basmati rice, brown rice, white rice, or cilantro lime brown rice to soak up the flavorful coconut curry sauce. For a bread option, pair it with naan or warm flatbread.
For a lighter option, serve it with cauliflower rice. It can also be served with a side of roasted vegetables for a more filling meal.
Variations and add-ins
Swap the vegetables - Instead of mushrooms and peas, try cauliflower and green beans. You may need to adjust the cooking time and liquid slightly.
Add greens - Stir in fresh spinach at the end instead of peas, or use a mix of spinach and peas.
Change the beans - If you can't find butter beans, try chickpeas or white beans. The texture will be a little different, but the curry will still be delicious.
Adjust the heat - For more spice, add extra jalapeño or top the finished curry with crushed red pepper flakes.
Make it richer - Use full-fat coconut milk for a creamier, richer curry.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftover butter bean curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. If serving with rice, freeze the curry separately from the rice for the best texture.
Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
Butter bean curry FAQs
Yes, cook the dried butter beans separately first, then add about 3 cups of cooked beans to the curry.
Yes, butter beans and lima beans are the same bean, but they can be sold at different stages of maturity. Mature beige butter beans work better here than green baby lima beans because they have a softer, creamier texture.
Yes, soak ⅓ cup of raw cashews overnight. Then drain and rinse the cashews, and blend them with ⅓ cup of water. During cooking, add 1 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth in place of the coconut milk in the recipe. Add the cashew mixture after adding the peas, then add the lemon juice.
White button mushrooms and baby bella mushrooms both work well. They add a savory, meaty texture, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
It has a mild to moderate heat from the jalapeño. For a milder curry, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño or leave it out. For more heat, use an extra jalapeño or a serrano pepper.
Light coconut milk or using a deeper pot can make the curry thinner. Simmer it uncovered until the sauce thickens to your liking.
Full-fat coconut milk can make the curry thicker. Add a splash of coconut milk, low-sodium vegetable broth, or water until it loosens to the consistency you like.
Related recipes
I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you did, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.
Recipe
Creamy Butter Bean Curry
- Total Time: 48 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This creamy butter bean curry is a hearty vegan dinner made with mushrooms, peas, warm spices, and coconut milk. Easy, comforting, and great for leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 ounces (227 grams) white button or baby Bella mushrooms, sliced or diced
- 1 jalapeno, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- A pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 can (14.5 ounces/411 grams) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (13.5 ounces/400 milliliters) light or full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cans (16 ounces/454 grams) each) butter beans, drained
- 1 tablespoon tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup (120 grams) frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Use a large non-stick sauté pan with a lid, and cook the onions over medium heat with a pinch of salt until translucent. For oil-free cooking, add a tablespoon of water if they are sticking, or cook the onion in a neutral-tasting oil.
- Then add the diced mushrooms and cook until they shrink and begin to brown.
- Add the jalapeño, garlic, and ginger, then cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and fresh black pepper into the mushrooms and onions. Cook for about 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes (don't drain), coconut milk, butter beans, tamari, and salt.
- Bring to a gentle boil, lower to a simmer, and cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes to reduce the liquid. If you used full-fat coconut, this step may not be needed if the curry is thick enough.
- Next, add frozen peas and cook for another 5 minutes uncovered.
- When the peas have thawed, add the lemon juice and taste and adjust the seasoning.
Notes
If you use full-fat coconut milk, the curry may be thicker, so cooking the curry for the last 5 minutes with the lid off before adding the peas may not be necessary to reduce the curry.
Don't use green baby lima beans; white large lima beans (butter beans) work best.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: indian inspired
Nicole says
The butter beans work great in this recipe! I’ve made several of your curries and so far I love them all.
Allie says
I'm glad you enjoyed the curries and thanks for leaving a comment.